Hand-propelled toy vehicle



Dec. 6, 192 7.

.E. A. CALLESON HAND PROPELLED TOY VEHICLE Filed March 10, 192'? INVENToR.

ATTORNEY N3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 6, 1927. 1,651,583

E. A. CALLESON HAND PROPELLED TOY VEHICLE Filed March 10. 1927 5 sheets-sheet 5 'ATTORNEY IN V TOR.

Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

UNITED STATE-'s l 1,651,583 Pr-Aralar orifice.

EDGAR A.r CALLS, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

HANiJfrRoPELLED TOY VEHICLE.

`Appneauon ined March 10,1192?. semi No, 174,211.

nisms-have been utilized in various combina- Vtions tok propeltoy vehicles, but none of them, to my knowledge, have utilizeda `siniilar krear construction as that embodied in my present invention, inwhich. the rear .wheeis of the vehicle are carried by levers acting in unison andadapted to propelthe vehicle by the transmission of an oscillatory motion transmitted to said levers, which oscillatory motionis converted therebyainto a straight line forward idling and rearward .thrusting movement; the ratchets normally functioning to cause the rear wheels to idle on the forward stroke of the levers and to lock on the rearward stroke thereof, which causes the vehicle .to be propelled forwardly, or rearwardly if desired, `by changing the positions ofthe ratchets by means of a reversing mechanism associated therewith.

The primary object of the presentinvention is the provision of a toy vehicle embodying a driving mechanism, including lever and ratchet combinations that normally function to transmit tothe rear ldriving wheels a progresive straight line forward idling andrearward thrusting movement, orupon reversal ofthe driving mechanism, causes said mechanism to transmit a rearward idling and forward thrusting movementto drive the vehicle in the reverse direction.

AAn important object of my invention is the provision` of a toy vehicle having a body 'A syinbolical of anranimal, such asa horse, in

which 'the' rear legs ofV the `.animal are `arranged to follow the swinging movements of the rear leversin simulation of thev leg movements of a horse, as in galloping.

Another objectk of theinvention is to provide a'toy vehicle` ofk the type designated which includes in its-driving mechanism a shift-lever mechanism adapted to cause said driving mechanism to drive the vehicle in either a forward or rearward direction, or

to assume ya neutral 'position which allows said drivihgmechanism to idle 'and causes the vehicley to idle, or coast.

An cadditional object of the invention is to provide a toy vehicle which is novel in design, `durable, and that is of comparatively inexpensive construction.

lOther objects and advantages of the inventionwill Vbe apparent with reference to the subjoined specification and accompanying' three sheets of drawings, in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view Vof my improved toy vehicle showing the leverV and link combinations and ratchet mechanisms which, combined as a whole, Aform the .driving mechanism of the vehicle;

the dot-and-dash position of the rear' wheels indicating the 'extreme forward thrust there- 'away to rillustrate the forward and reverse control lever;

Figure 4 is an enlarged `sectional view of i the Vrear end'construction showing the meth-y .,od of mounting the wheels and levers in the rear end of the body, the sectionr being indicatedby the line 4 4 of Figure l;

r,Figure 5y is an enlarged sectional. detail of the extreme rear end ofthe body portion ofthe vehicle `showing the rear lever kcoiistruction and mounting, also the ratchet `mechanisms and reversing gear, the dot-anddash position of the wheels indicating the extreme forward. stroke of the rear levers;

Figure 6 is a greatly enlarged sectional detailv of the rear laxle and the right-hand ratchet. showing the reversing gear in de- .of the/rear axle and wheels.

the drawings, in which the preferred embodiment of my invention has been showmthe main portion of the vehicle reptid ` aligned openings resents the body ot a horse and coinprises the body portion 10, neck and head sect-ion 11, rigid tore legs 12 and pivotal hind legs 13" and 14. y

The body portion is of rectangular forni and consists oi? the sides 15 and 16, top side 17, and rear end closure 18. The front end 19 of the body is open and provides a space in which the neck section 11 is adapted to oseillate. The under :forward edges of the sides 15 and 1h are provided with a transverse brace 2G. which carries a block 21 and to the underside ot which is secured a U-shaped bracket Q2 and a clip 23, through which thehing-boltQ-t extends. The clip E23 is secured to the block 2l and a niieinber 2l. is secured centrally to the front axle 26 and is provided with an opening through `which the king-holt is inserted. The axle is Y carried by `the front steering Wheels 27 and 27, and these wheels are n'uinipulated by means of rigidly mounted stirrups 2S and 2S"carried by opstanding brackets 29 and 29l rigidly bolted `to the liront axle 2G, as shown in Figure 3.

A `pair ot equalizing springs() and 30 are secured to the body sides l5 and 1G by means ot straps 31 and Bl, these tending to holdthe front Wheels in a straight line but .tree for steering purposes through the inediiun oi the riders'eet which normally rest in the stirrups 'ZSand 28.

The neck portieri 11 ot the vehicle consists oitI a hollow ineinber formed by the Jiront section 3Q, sides 33 and Sagand rear curved metal section 35, upon the upper end ot which is iornied the headf and operating grips 3S and 39. y The neck portion 11 as a Whole lornis the operating lever of the vehicle, and the loiver edge ot the section 352 is securely hinged to the cross brace 9.0 by a hinge member 40, and is adaptedfor oscillation `upon the hinge pintle thereof. v

The rear closure 1S of the body of the vehicleis provided with a centrally-positioned metal brace Ill, Figures 1, fl and 5, which is securely bolted in place bybolts i2 and 113 and extends below the loiver edge ofsaid elosureand is curved inwardly and terniinates ina horizontal support Liri. l

A Ushaped clip Ll5 is riveted to the inner tace oi the brace 1l byrivets -tG` and ispositioned thereon slightly above the lower edge of the end closure i8. The horizontal 1nenibers ot this clip are provided with vertically-- i7 and t8 which provide bearingstor a vertically-movable shaft 49, 'Figures and G.

"" The rearactuating;` levers and 50 are arranged in parallel relation7 as shown in Figure 4;, and are spaced apart as shown in said ligure. with their upper ends pivotally secured to the horizontally disposed shaft 51 which'in turn is rigidly bolted to the verti- Leonesa cally disposed shaft 49, the said shaft 51 tendin to inove vertically with the shaft t9 and to carry the upper ends o'l the levers 50 and 50 therewith as hereinafter described.

The levers 5t) and 50 are normally inclined rearwardly, as shown in Figures 1 and 5, and are provided near their lower e):- trernities with a rigid brace riveted to opposite levers by rivets 53 and 5B. The lower ends ot said levers are provided with openings through which the rear axle 54; extends, said axle beingrigidly riveted to the brace 52 by rivets 55, as shown in Figures 4, 5 and and carry the rear driving Wheels 5G and 56". 4 i

The forward underside` of the supporti/i4 is provided with horizontally-d1sposed shat't 57, which is rigidly `riveted to said support 1:45 bynwans ot rivets 5S and carries at outer" ends a pairoit' short links 59 and 59'., normally inclined toivard the levers 50 and 50' and ilrivotslly secured thereto byA a horizontallv-disposed.shaft G0, said shaft 60 being adapted to normally rest in theeurved portionoi the brace 411,115 shown in Figure 5, and isadapted to travel in an arcuate pat-h 61 `to the dotanddash position 62 t which `is the liinit of its forward` thrust, and carries with it the actuating levers 50 and 50 to the dot-and-dash ,line (i3.`

The shaft 51 carries the upper ends of levers 50":ind 50 and iuovesvertically with the vertically-disposed `shaft 1 -S), and this vertical movement compensatei` for the arcuate swing ot the shalt (il), ascarried by the .levers andlinlrs 59 and; thus causing the rear axle Trl to inove in astraight line 611 to the extreme vforward liinit ot the throw of said levers 50 and 50 and to cause the rear Wheels 5G and 5G to thrust forwardly to the dotted position shown inf theligure.

The rear wheels 5G and o6 are each proa. shaft GT, which is headed" at its outer ends to prevent their disijilaceinentand to cause vided With a ratchet `gear (l5 and (35 which their united action in `reversing the driving niechanisi'n as hereinafter ezqilained.

The parvis 66 andGGnre of duplicateconrio struction and are each provided `on their un der edges withn pair of ratchet engaging` teeth 68 and 68 shown in Figures-5 and vvise movement but to allow of their eontra-` clockwise movement, that 1s, `the rear wheels The forward tooth `68 of", each pawl is will idle `when the levers" are thrust torvvardlyto the dotted line 63, but when said levers are thrust rearwardly to their normalpositions, ythe teeth 68 will grip the ratchet teeth and force the vehicle ahead.

When the teeth 68 of thepawls 66 and 66 are thrown into engagement with the ratchets, the same thrusting movement of the levers 50 and 50 reverses the direction vof travel of the vehic'le.

minates in an upstanding section l74 positioned adjacent the section 32, and said'sec- Y tion is 'provided with a buferspring 75 against which the section ,bearsV when os cillated to itsr rearmost position, as shown in Figure' 1.

The shifting gear consists of a `shaft 76 extending through the 'levers 50 and 50 immediately above theY shaft67 and provided.

at its extremities, Vwith leaf-springs 77 adaptq Ved to engage alternate upper edges of the pawls 66 and 66 to hold said pawls in engagement with the teeth' of their respective ratchets. The right-hand extremity of the shaft 76 is provided with a bell-crank member 78 having arms 79 and 80, the arm 79 being/connected to a cord or wire81 which .is carried over a pulley 82 Fig. 5 mounted upon the outer end of the shaft 60, thence forwardly beside the lever 69"to the pivot point 83 of said lever' 69, thence upwardly and Sisseoured to` a short lever 84 Fig. 3 mounted in a short rockshaft- 85, lwhich is carried by one side Vof the neck portion of the vehicle. The outer end of said shaft V`is provided with 'a lever 86 adapted to swing from the pin 87 to the pin 88 as shown in F igurel 1. 'The 'lower dotted position of said `Ylever 86 is the position assumed whenv the pawlsv are positioned for forward lmoveL nient, and the upper dotted position ofl said lever is that assumedv when the pawls are in engagement for the rearwardniovement of the vehicle.. I Y .c

The lever 50 is provided with a pair of stop pins 89 and 90, as shown ink Figure 5, positioned on the-outer side of said lever and are adapted to be alternately engaged by the arms 79 and 80 ofthe'bell-crank lever-78 and tend to limit the movement of said lever in either direction; the spring 91 which is connected at one end to the arm 79 of the bell-crank 'and at its other end to the axle tending Vto normally-hold the pawl teeth 68rin engagement with the ratchets for the,Y

forward movement of the vehicle, asshown in Figures 1- 'and'fa vehicle.

VFigure 6 illustrates the position of the paw'ls when reversed by the upward swing? ing movement of the lever 86 until it contacts the pin 88, Figure 1. Then said leverV 86 is positioned intermediate said pins 87 and 88 the pawls are both out of mesh with the ratchet gears andthe rear wheels will idle,

as shown in dot-and-dash lines in Figure 6.

The rear legs 92 and 92 of the kbody of the animal represented, are pivotally secured to the body sides 15 and 16 by screws 93 and 93', and are provided with compensating slots 94 and 94 Awhich receive the outer ends of the rear VaXle 54 and are held in place' for correlated actiontherewith by means of washers'95 and 95', which are held in position by the headed ends 96 and 96 formed on the extremities of said axle. An. imitation saddle 97 constructed of any suitable material may be mounted upon the top section 17 of the body, and the head of the animal. may be provided with a bridle 98 as shown in Figure 1.

A brake mechanism 99 is mounted in the frame of the vehicle and consists of apull rod 100, bar 101, and brake shoe 102 adapted to contact the peripheral surface of `the rear wheel 56, as shown in lFigure 1.

in recapitulation: Y

It willbe apparent with reference to Figures 1 r and 5 of the drawings, and! assuming that a child is seated upon the saddle 97 with his or her feet resting in the stirrups 28 Vand 28, and withV the hands graspingr the grips 38 and 39, tl e pawls being'positioned as shown in Figure 1, that should the neck section ybeoscillated away from the operator bythe forward thrusting movement of said grips, the links 69 and 69 will function to transmit this 4motion to the links 59 andr59, and the levers 50 and 50 carrying the rear wheels 56 and 56 willbe oscillated accordingly. The upper ends of thelev-ers 50 and'56, will be carried vertically by the compensating shafts 49 and 51,

Y and the rear wheels will idle to the dot-anddash nositionV Figure 1 and when the eri s 50'and 50 are thrust rearwardly to the limit of their rearward strokes, andthepawl and ratchet .mechanisms then function to prevent rotation of the rear wheels ina clockwise direction, thus causing the vehicle body tovbe forced` ahead. If this movement of the grips is repeated in quick succession it causes a continuous forward and rearward thrust ing movement to be imparted to both levers and to the rear wheels and causes the consequent continued forward propulsion of the The reverse movement of the vehicle is readily accomplished by reversing the pawls as lhereinbefore described. f From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawyin() are pulled toward the operator the leversv latine inotion to said ings, the advantages of the Construction end method ol operation will be readily undern Stoodbythose skilled :in the art to whicli the invention appertaine, and while I have defierihcd the principle ot operation, toltether with the device which I now consider to be the best einbodiinent thereo'li, l.

desire to halve it understood that the device shown is lnercly illuetrutive and that `such changes may be made, when desired, es itall within the scope ot the appended eleinin.

Havingthus described luy invention, l claini as new and desire to Secure bvletters Patent ot the United States, tl'iejctollon'ing: `l. il inruil-propelled`toy veliieie comprising in combination, a: traine, steering; wheels` carried by said `lrarno. actuiiting' levers mounted in said freine, drivino ivheelScarried by said act-natin' leveie, ope1at2-i3iin,v ineens inountedin Said lriune und connected to said lctrmting levers-` nieziue carried by said levers for inclini;` the driving wheels; thereto, und seid opening ineens being adapted toi-"oscillation ts: transmit an oecil actuating; levere to propel the vehicle. l i

2. A lin1nl--prop`ellcd toy vehicle comprisin@l in combination, a body lbrlningg; a traine, steeringr wheels curriedfbv euid tronic, aetnating levers mounted in the areal: end ol said traine and having;l driving wheels mounted attheir louer ends and adapted tor uniu "lied action, oscillatory nieane mounted in the :for 7lard end oli Said traine and hzlvinl liult means` connected to said netuating levere, ratchet ineens carried b v said driving' wheels and pnwl nieane e-.irried by Suid actuating; lever, `und shifting incarne` associato ed ywith said pnwls to `cause tljien' engagenient or disengagement with said ratclheten 3, .A` liand-iropelled toy vehicle comprising; 1n eonilnnation, a body tornnng a snpportingflraine, steering ivlieele inounted on the front end oit sind traine, actuating levers mounted inthe roer end ol eind tranne, con1- nensating ineens carried by the upper ende oit' Said levers and driving wheels carried by "lhe lower ende thereot and adapted lor uni- `lied action, an operatinglever inounted in the torwerd end ol sind traine and having hulk nicane connected thereto and to said ac-` tuating levers, ratchet means borne by said driving wheel: and pn l means carried hv said actuating erersand conetively :ninociated with Said ratchet ineens, the seid op crutnir lcrer being` adapted to inipnrt en oecilhitorv motion to eaid actuating levers titl to cause een! driving` `wheels to inipnrt a *forward llnusting niovcnient lo said vehicle, l i

l. il" handpropeiled tov fvelilcle coniprie ine' in conibiuation,":i body forming a enp-- porting traine, steering wheels` mounted on the trent end et seid traine andhaving equalizing ineens tending to hold thorn inetraight line positions, :t brace carried by the rear einl ot' seid l'ralne, actuating links pivotally inountcdupou seid brace, actuating levers pivotallv occured to said links and having coinlfiensating ineens mounted :it their upper ende tending; to compensate for the arcuate swinging movement ot the links, an axle borne h v the lower ends o'l the actuating levers, derving;- wheels carried by `Said axle, nimh; :ind feti-hete carried respectively by unid actuating' lcvereI and wlieele, shitting incarne eneociated witlrsaidpawle 4lor cans! ingr alternate ende thereol `to `engage said ratclaete, and oscillatory iueane connected to mid actuating links `to caueethe oscillation ot the actuating,t lever-si to `produce :i straight line lorwnrd and rearward thrustingmovenicnt to said rear axle. v i i i 5. il haintpropelled toy vehicle comprisinc' in combination, e body forming a Suppl 'i1-ig; traine,eteeringgWheels mounted on the 'trent end ot i-iaid 'traine and Vhaving equalinlng ineaney associated therewith, a brace cerricd by 'the rear` end of said frame,

ncluatingf links; pivotally mounted upon Said brace, actuating levers arranged in parel lelienl `end pivotnlly secured to ysaidactuatnjn linlen-compensating means eoactively ueeociated with said leverenndlinks tending; Ioconxpeneate :for thegareuete `swingt ciuted with Saidgpnwls tending to normally` uro-e thcn'i into contact `with Sjaid` ratehets,

Shifting menne for changing theposit-ions` ot said pmvle, and nleans associatedv-With neidnctuatnig links to causetheoseillatlon o'l the eetueting lefvere` to produce` a `horilll i nontnl forward andi `rearward `thrusting movement to said axleff i d A t G. A" lianthpropelled toy vehicle compris- `ing in `conihinationn tr body forming e ysup` `porting traine, Said body` being eylnbolionl olt anvannnal andfhnving rigidly mounted 'lore legs; `and pivotally mounted `rear legs,

etccring wheels mounted on the forward `end oit sind traine, actuating; levers carried by` lll) the rear end of the traine,` actuatingl ,links pivotnlly mounted in the traine and in turn pivotallv;secured to said actuating levers,

compensating ineanel coactivolv associated A with said actuating; levere and linke tending" to conipensate for the arcuate Swinging movement ot' said links, an axle borne by Seid actuatingn levers and carrying the lower ende ol Suid rear logje, driving Wheels carricd by eaid` uxle, puivle and ratcliete carried rcnpcctivelv by eaidnetuating levers and wheeler, sind pnnwlejliaving oppositcly `arrniiged teeth adaplecljfon engagenigent`with` i ippoeitewsides ot sant ratohets,"shifting means l'or changing "the poeiliolie"of` Enid paivlsl relative to said ratchets, and means carried by said frame for oscillating said actuating links and levers to cause said rear Wheels to idle in one, direction and be locked against rotation in the oppositedirection to propel said vehicle in a continuous direction.

7. A hand-propelled toy vehicle comprising in combination, a frame, steering Wheels carried by said frame, actuating levers mounted, in the rear end ot said frame, an axle carried by said actuating levers, actuating links coactively associated With said actuating levers, compensating means coactively associated with said actuating ,links and levers, pavvls and ratchets carried respectively by said actuating levers and driving Wheels'and being adapted to allovt7 the free rotation of said Wheels in one direction and to lock the same against rotation in the opcarried by said frame, actuatingV levers mounted in the rear endof said trame, an axlel carried by said actuating levers, actuating links coactivelyY associated with said actuating levers, compensating` means coactively associated with said actuating links and levers, pavvl andratchet means carried,`

respectively by said actuating levers and driving Wheels and being adapted to allow the free rotation of said Wheels in one direction and to lock the same against rotation in the opposite direction, shitting means associated with said paivl means to change the position thereofv relative to said ratchet means, and means for oscillating said actiiating links. e 'e 9.,A hand-propelled toy vehicle comprising in combination, a frame, steering Wheels carried by said frame, actuating levers mounted in the rear end of said ram'e,an axle carried by said actuating levers, actuating links coactively associated with said actuating levers, compensating means coactively associated With said actuating links and levers, pawls and ratchets carried respece tively by said actuating levers and driving Wheels and being. adapted to allow the tree rotation of saidkwheels in one direction and to lock the same against rotation in the ope posite direction, shifting means associated with said paWls and being adapted to change their positions relative to said ratchets, spring means normally tending to hold said paivls in contact with their respective ratchets, and means for oscillating said actuating links. y

l0. In a hand-propelled toy vehicle, a driving mechanism therefor consisting of actuating levers mounted for oscillatory movement, an axle carried by said levers, actuating links associated with said levers, compensating means associated with said links and levers, driving Wheels carried by the axle, pa-Wls and ratchets Carried respectively by said actuating leversand driving Wheels, means for changing the positions of said ratchets, and means for oscillating said links and levers to transmit a straight line'. vforward and rear thrusting movement to said axle.

1l. In a hand-propelled toy vehicle, a

ing levers and driving Wheels, said pavvls being double-ended and adapted for alternate enga ,'ement with opposite sides of saidr ratchets, means for changing the positions of said pa-Wls, and meansrfor oscillating said' links and levers to transmit a straight line forward and rearward thrusting movement to said axle.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

EDGAR A. CALLESON. 

